Cole Hamels vs Cliff Lee: Career Stats Comparison
Cole Hamels has the better career line of the two, leading 8 of the 11 statistical categories compared on this page. Cole Hamels played 2006–2020 as a pitcher; Cliff Lee played 2002–2014 as a pitcher.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
Cole Hamels (2006–2020) and Cliff Lee (2002–2014) — both came up during the 2000s, so the matchup is a direct one. Cole Hamels compiled 163 wins and 2,560 strikeouts; Cliff Lee put up 143 wins and 1,824 strikeouts. The numbers below run them through identical career and rate-stat lenses.
Quick answer
- Who had the better ERA? Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games? Cole Hamels, with 163 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts? Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP? Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.
- Who pitched more innings? Cole Hamels, with 2,698 to Cliff Lee's 2,156.
- Who threw more shutouts? Cliff Lee, with 12 to Cole Hamels's 7.
- Who has the higher career Pitcher PIV? Cliff Lee, with 41,719 career Pitcher PIV to Cole Hamels's 32,591.
Cole Hamels
Career Stats Side-by-Side
Every cell below is a career total or career rate. Cells highlighted in green mark the player who leads that line. Lower ERA, WHIP and BB/9 lead; higher K/9 leads. Totals where fewer is not an achievement -- losses, walks and hits allowed -- are left unmarked, because they track how long someone pitched rather than how well. Rate stats are not era-adjusted: compare them with the era in mind, or use the PIV card below, which is.
| Statistic | Cole Hamels | Cliff Lee |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | Leads: 163 | 143 |
| Losses | 122 | 91 |
| Games | Leads: 423 | 328 |
| Games Started | Leads: 422 | 324 |
| Complete Games | 17 | Leads: 29 |
| Shutouts | 7 | Leads: 12 |
| Saves | 0 | 0 |
| Strikeouts | Leads: 2,560 | 1,824 |
| Walks | 767 | 464 |
| Hits Allowed | 2,424 | 2,116 |
| Home Runs Allowed | 310 | 223 |
| Innings Pitched | Leads: 2,698 | 2,156 |
| ERA | Leads: 3.43 | 3.52 |
| WHIP | Leads: 1.18 | 1.20 |
| K/9 | Leads: 8.54 | 7.61 |
| BB/9 | 2.56 | Leads: 1.94 |
PIV Comparison
By PIV (Player Impact Value), Cliff Lee leads Cole Hamels 41,719 to 32,591 — a gap driven primarily by per-season impact (2,781 vs 1,917 per year). PIV adjusts each season to league baselines, so it's the cleanest way to compare careers across eras.
Peak Seasons
The best single seasons each player produced, ranked by ERA among qualified workloads (120+ innings).
Cole Hamels — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Cliff Lee — top 3 seasons by ERA (lower is better)
Verdict
On the head-to-head card, Cole Hamels leads in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP, while Cliff Lee owns no headline categories. That doesn't settle the era debate, but on the raw scoreboard the edge goes to Cole Hamels. Note that PIV actually grades Cliff Lee ahead, which means Cole Hamels's edge is partly volume. Click through to each profile for the full season-by-season breakdown.
Related Matchups
Cole Hamels vs Cliff Lee: Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was better, Cole Hamels or Cliff Lee?
- By the career statistics compared on this page, Cole Hamels leads Cliff Lee in 8 of 11 categories.
- Who had the better ERA?
- Cole Hamels, with 3.43 to Cliff Lee's 3.52.
- Who won more games?
- Cole Hamels, with 163 to Cliff Lee's 143.
- Who recorded more strikeouts?
- Cole Hamels, with 2,560 to Cliff Lee's 1,824.
- Who had the better WHIP?
- Cole Hamels, with 1.18 to Cliff Lee's 1.20.